Castel Maggiore

Castel Maggiore is an Italian comune with 17,422 inhabitants in the province of Bologna located 9km north of the centre of Bologna. Literally, its name means Great Castle, but the name is derived from the earlier name Castaniolo Maggiore. Castaniolo is traditionally thought to derive from the Italian for little chestnut. It is not uncommon for tourists to ask for the non-existent "castle" in Castel Maggiore.HistoryThe first documents conveying the existence of the Comune, in ancient times called Castaniolo date back to the 10th century. The legend narrates that the name comes from a big chestnut trunk that should have floated into the territory of the comune through the Canale Navile .Afterwards Castaniolo was marked by the nickname of Maggiore in order to distinguish it from a homonymous hamlet of the Bentivoglio comune.The name was changed into the one it still carries nowadays during Napoleon's era, in 1818, in which jurisdiction on today's hamlets has been recognised.The town underwent heavy bomb attacks during World War II because of the passage of the railroad linking Bologna and Padua.Twin towns — Sister citiesCastel Maggiore is twinned with: Ingré, France